BOSTON - Conference play got started in America East baseball, including a championship rematch as Stony Brook and UMBC split a pair of games. Hartford took two of three from Albany to sit in first place in the early going. UMass Lowell's Nick Kuzia highlighted the non-conference schedule, tossing a complete-game shutout vs. NYIT.
Here are the week five award winners:
Player of the Week
Andruw Gazzola, Stony Brook, So., DH/1B, Coram, N.Y.
- Led the Seawolves to a 2-1 week, including a conference opening win by batting a .583 with a .615 OBP and a whopping 1.167 slugging percentage.
- He hit for the cycle for the week with a home run against Iona on Tuesday and a double, triple and single in the opener against UMBC on Friday.
- Batted six-for-nine in the two-game series at UMBC with five runs, a pair of doubles and a triple.
Pitcher of the Week
Nick Kuzia, UMass Lowell, So., RHP, Symour, Conn.
- Pitched first career complete game, no runs with career-high eight strikeouts in a win over NYIT.
- Allowed just two singles and two walks
- Only faced 30 batters
Rookie of the Week
Kevin Donati, Albany, Fr., Pittsfield, Mass.
- Totaled five hits, six runs, three RBIs and five steals in four games last week.
- Had at-least one hit in each of the four games for the Great Danes.
- Hit .333 for the week with a .444 on-base percentage and a .400 slugging percentage.
Weekly Award Winners
Feb. 23 - Player of the Week: Toby Handley, Stony Brook; Pitcher of the Week: Justin Courtney, Maine; Rookie of the Week: Danny Casals, Maine
March 1 - Player of the Week: Tyler Schwanz, Maine; Pitcher of the Week: Kyle Gauthier, Hartford; Rookie of the Week: Steve Passatempo, UMass Lowell
March 8 - Player of the Week: Brendan Skidmore, Binghamton; Co-Pitchers of the Week: Kyle Gauthier, Hartford & Andrew Ryan, UMass Lowell; Rookie of the Week: Steve Passatempo, UMass Lowell
March 15 - Player of the Week: Kevin Lachance, UMBC; Pitcher of the Week: Andrew Ryan, UMass Lowell; Rookie of the Week: Dylan Resk, Stony Brook
March 22 - Player of the Week: Andruw Gazzola, Stony Brook; Pitcher of the Week: Nick Kuzia, UMass Lowell; Rookie of the Week: Kevin Donati, Albany